ticated code of courtly
             No doubt Celtic Christianity can trace its roots through British history
             for centuries. According to Ashe, Celtic Christianity was Catholic;
             however, it manifested itself in a variety of ways, that were conspicuous
             in their "attitude to the old gods and mythologies" (132). Because the
             pagan myths of old could not be believed in a literal way, they were simply
             adapted. (133) In essence, the pagan myths were given a literary facelift
             by the medieval writers. The influence of this system made its way into a
             plethora of literature, including the stories of King Arthur.
             Andrew Lang, one of Britain's noted of men of letters during the
             nineteenth century, explains that the "old capricious Gods have departed,
             of course, and made way for a deity of mercy and justice" (Lang). It is
             from this movement in social beliefs that Malory was able to craft a very
             unique and talented Merlin that was not outside the graces of God. Lang
             refers to this as a "charm of mystery and distance" (Lang) and a "mist of
             enchantment" (Lang). This circumstance, according to Lang, is a:
             strange fortune in literature than that which blended wild Celtic
             myths, and a monastic theory of the saintly life, with all of
             chivalrous adventure, with all of courtesy and gentleness, that the
             Middle Ages could conceive, and handed it on to be the delight of the
             Furthermore, Geoffrey of Monmouth was responsible for brining the
             "enchanter onto the stage of literature" (Ashe 7) around the fifth century.
             Additionally, there is little doubt that Merlin's prophecies are creations
             of Geoffrey as well. Geoffrey also wrote the poem, "The Life of Merlin"
             (12), which lays the groundwork for many myths concerning Merlin. From
             these various backgrounds and influences, Malory weaves the elements of the
             old world together with the new world that make Merlin such an incredible
             charact...